Surf Travel Guide: Ollie's Point, Costa Rica

Ollie's Point only shows up on your trip if you are willing to get on a boat before sunrise, and that single filter is why the lineup here feels like a different era of Costa Rican surfing: no road, no hotel balconies, just a long right point peeling inside Santa Rosa National Park.

Why Ollie's Point?

The wave is a right-hand point break at a rivermouth, running over a mix of sand and cobblestone for 300 to 500 meters on a good day. It picked up its name from Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North and the old CIA-linked airstrip nearby, and it earned its reputation on film in The Endless Summer II, long before Witch's Rock became the area's bigger-name neighbor.

→ On a solid south or southwest swell, Ollie's Point lights up into a medium to hollow wall that holds its shape for an easy ride.

↳ Low to medium tide is when the barrel sections show up, so boats tend to time the trip around the morning low rather than a fixed departure hour.

Getting There & Getting Around

There is no public road into this stretch of Santa Rosa National Park, so Ollie's Point is reached by boat only, and camping on the beach there is illegal.
→ Most surfers book the full day boat trip out of Tamarindo, where operators like Witch's Rock Surf Camp run a private power catamaran out to both Witch's Rock and Ollie's Point in the same outing.
↳ Playas del Coco is the other common departure point, a shorter run up the coast for charters based there.
Fly into Liberia's Guanacaste Airport (LIR), then it's about 45 minutes by road to Tamarindo, where most boats leave from.

When to Surf (and Stay Safe)

Costa Rica's Pacific side runs on the south swell window that builds through the wet season, roughly May to November, and that is also when Ollie's Point is most likely to be firing at a workable size. The wave needs southwest to west swell of at least a few feet to turn on, and it is friendliest with a northwest, north or northeast wind holding it up. This is not a beginner wave. The takeoff zone is narrow, the bottom is rock and cobblestone, and most trip reports call the rocks a manageable rather than major hazard, which still means respect them. Boats need a permit to run the trip, and because there is only one real takeoff spot, the lineup can get crowded fast once two or three tour boats anchor up in the same session, usually worse in the afternoon than the morning.

Surf Breaks

Ollie's Point: The main event, a long right point breaking over sand and cobblestone at the mouth of a river inside Santa Rosa National Park.
Wave: Medium to hollow, holding a long wall on a good south or southwest swell, best at low to medium tide.
Level: Intermediate to advanced. Not for first time surfers.

Where to Stay

→ There is no lodging at Ollie's Point itself, since it sits inside a national park with boat access only. Almost everyone bases out of Tamarindo, the main departure town for the boat trip. Prices are approximate, seen October 2026.

Budget ($)

Pura Vida Hostel, Tamarindo (from about $5 per night for a dorm bed, per Hostelz.com)
A straightforward backpacker hostel in the heart of town, an easy walk to the beach and to most boat operators' offices.

Mid-Range ($$)

Hotel Pasatiempo, Tamarindo (from about $120 per night, per EnterCostaRica.com)
A tropical garden hotel a short walk from the beach, with a pool and an on-site restaurant, popular with surf travelers passing through for boat trips.

Beachfront ($$$)

Hotel Capitan Suizo, Tamarindo (from about $396 per night for double occupancy, per EnterCostaRica.com)
A beachfront property at the quieter south end of Tamarindo Beach, with direct beach access and the kind of grounds that make the early boat call easier to swallow.

Food and Drink

Beachfront Dinner: Nogui's Sunset Cafe, Tamarindo
→ A long running beachfront spot right on Tamarindo's main stretch, good for a casado or a ceviche while you watch the sunset after a long boat day. A full plate runs roughly $12 to $20, based on October 2026 Tamarindo dining cost data.
Local Lunch: Soda El Guanacaste, Tamarindo
→ A classic no frills soda for a casado of rice, beans, salad, plantain and your choice of meat or fish, for roughly $8 to $12, based on October 2026 Costa Rica soda pricing.

Photographing Ollie's Point (Surf Snaps)

A boat trip to a national park point break is exactly the kind of session surfers want proof of afterward, since it is not a wave most people paddle out to twice in a season. If you are the photographer on one of these charters, shooting from the boat or from the point itself, upload your gallery to Surf Snaps so the surfers you shot can find and buy their own photos, no subscription and no listing fee, just a 10% revenue share paid monthly on anything that sells. If you were the one riding, search Surf Snaps by spot and date to see who had a camera out that day.

FAQ: Surfing Ollie's Point, Costa Rica

Can you drive to Ollie's Point?

No. There is no public road into this part of Santa Rosa National Park, so the wave is reached by boat only, usually on a full day trip out of Tamarindo or Playas del Coco. Camping on the beach there is illegal.

Is Ollie's Point good for beginners?

No. The takeoff is narrow, the bottom is sand and cobblestone with rocks nearby, and the wave is best suited to intermediate and advanced surfers who can handle a hollow point break.

What is the best swell and wind for Ollie's Point?

A south to southwest swell of at least a few feet lights the wave up, and it holds its shape best in a northwest, north or northeast wind. Low to medium tide tends to bring out the barrel sections.

How do you book a boat trip to Ollie's Point?

Surf camps and tour operators based in Tamarindo, including Witch's Rock Surf Camp, run full day boat trips to Witch's Rock and Ollie's Point together. Book ahead, since boats need a permit and spots fill up, especially in the dry season high months.

Where can I find photos of my Ollie's Point session?

Search Surf Snaps by sport, place and date on the explore page to find galleries from your trip.

More Popular Surf and Kitesurf Spots

Keep exploring with the rest of this series and our other surf travel guides.